


Model Behavior

by TacoCat2020



Category: Swimming RPF
Genre: Angst, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-26
Updated: 2015-10-26
Packaged: 2018-04-28 04:51:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5078479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TacoCat2020/pseuds/TacoCat2020
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A few months into Michael's 2014 comeback, he meets yet another girl while at a meet.</p><p> </p><p>(Prequel to Of Love and Regret)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Model Behavior

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Of Love and Regret](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2787119) by [TacoCat2020](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TacoCat2020/pseuds/TacoCat2020). 



Michael’s comeback had been going well. On the first day of competition in Santa Clara, he and Allison both had interviews and press conferences between preliminaries and finals. When he was done with his, he went to watch her interview on the way to the warm up pool. He loved to tease her, so he went over to her and went to go take a selfie with her while the interviewer wrapped up. 

“Mike”, she said, slapping his arm and rolling her eyes while trying not to laugh. “You’re so annoying! Stop it!”

Michael laughed and gave her a hug. “You love me!”, Michael protested. 

Allison rolled her eyes again, but returned the hug. “Most of the time”, she replied.

“Come join me for a warm up”, Michael said.

“Okay”, Allison agreed and the two friends walked to the warm up pool together.

“You excited?”, Allison asked him.

Michael nodded. “I’m having so much…”, he began.

“Fun”, Allison finished for him. “I know. You’ve been saying that you’re having fun for months now. That’s been your line in interviews.”

Michael laughed. “Well it’s true!”, he said.

Allison smiled and put her arm around him. “Good”, she said. “I like seeing you so happy.”

“Thanks”, Michael replied. “Things are going really well.”

Michael slipped off his sweatpants and took off his t-shirt, and tossed his clothes to the side. He dove into the water to begin warming up. He finished a lap and looked up to see Allison standing on the pool deck, taking off her t-shirt. He had always seen her as a best friend, a little sister and nothing more. Every so often, he caught himself looking at her a little longer, momentarily struck by how beautiful he found her to be.

“Schmitty!”, he called. “Get in! The water’s great!”

Allison dove in and joined him in his lane. The swam back and forth together for a few sets, then decided to walk back to the hotel together. Allison seemed to get quiet on their walk back.

“You okay, Schmitty?”, Michael asked gently.

“Mm-hm”, Allison said distractedly.

They walked into the hotel lobby, past the bar, and saw a camera crew big lights. There was a girl in a long flowy dress having her picture taken while sitting on a stool with her back to the bar and holding a wine glass.

Allison and Michael both watched for a minute or two. “She’s pretty”, Allison said.  
Michael couldn’t take her eyes off of the girl. “Are you kidding?”, Michael asked. “She’s fucking hot!”

Allison’s face fell. “You have a girlfriend, Mike”, she reminded him.

“No I don’t”, Michael said, sounding confused.

“Um… that bimbo you brought to Charlotte?”, Allison said. “What happened to her?”

“Oh her?”, Michael asked, brushing it off like it was nothing. “She was never really my girlfriend. Anyway, she’s gone. Time to find someone new.”

Allison made a face. “Gross”, she said. “Don’t you care about these girls’ feelings?”

Michael shrugged. “I care about sex”, he said, like it was the most obvious thing ever.

Allison was still looking at him like she was disgusted by him. “You should be tested”, she said. “How many girls have you…”

“That’s none of your damn business Allison!”, Michael exclaimed. “What the fuck?”

“I just…”, Allison began, as she choked up. “Forget it. I’m sorry.”

Michael shrugged. “Whatever”, he said. “It’s fine.”

Allison smiled at him sadly. “If all you want is a fuck buddy…”, she began.

Michael looked at her for a moment. “I mean… I’d like a girlfriend”, he said. “But girls never stay with me long. They all just use me for my money. I have to settle for random sex for now.”

“You don’t have to settle for anything”, Allison said quietly.

By then, they had reached their rooms. “I’m going to go lay down before finals”, Michael said. 

“Okay”, Allison said. She watched her best friend go into his room before going into her own. She had been in love with him for as long as she had known him. She watched as he dated girl after girl, and slept around when he wasn’t in relationships. It broke her heart, because she felt like he wanted anyone except for her. She knew that these girls weren’t making him happy, but there wasn’t much she could do about it. She went into her own room to take a nap of her own, and couldn’t stop the tears that had started to fall.

***

After finals that night, Allison, Conor, and Michael had dinner together at a restaurant near their hotel. Allison got up to use the rest room, and when she came back, Michael and Conor were deep in conversation.

“Yeah, I saw that”, Conor was saying. “Looked like a magazine shoot or something. The girl was pretty cute.”

“She’s hot!”, Michael exclaimed. 

After dinner, they walked back to the hotel. When they walked by the bar, the girl was there again. She was wearing a shorter, lightweight dress this time instead of the long, flowing gown from before. Michael found himself starting again.

“Go talk to her!”, Conor encouraged him. 

Michael nodded. “I think I will”, he said. 

Allison didn’t say anything. She walked away without saying goodbye. Conor went after her. “You okay, Allie?”, he asked.

Allison nodded, and pressed the button for the elevator. Conor could tell that she was fighting off tears, but didn’t know what to do about it. “I’m fine”, she said. “Where’s the damn elevator?”

“Allie?”, Conor tried again.

“Leave it alone, Con”, Allie said softly. “Like, I can’t. Okay?”

Conor nodded. “Okay”, he said, as the elevator doors opened and they stepped in.

When it reached their floor, they stepped off and walked towards their rooms. “Night, Con”, Allie said quietly.

“Allie?”, Conor began. “Are you okay?”

“I said I’m fine, Conor”, Allison said impatiently. “I’m just going to go to bed, okay?”

Conor nodded. “Okay”, he said. “Good night Allie”

***

Downstairs in the bar, Michael had taken a seat next to the girl. He motioned for the bartender to come over, and he ordered a drink for himself, and told the bartender to put the girl’s drink on his tab.

“Thank you”, the girl said with a smile.

“You’re welcome”, Michael said. “I’m Mike”

She nodded. “I know who you are”, she said. “I’m Carly.”

“I saw you down here earlier”, Michael said. “You were having your picture taken.”

Carly nodded. “I’m a model”, she said. “Well, I’m trying to be. Today was my first magazine shoot.”

“Cool”, Michael said.

“How’s your meet going?”, Carly asked. “I wanted to stop by since I’m in town anyway, but I didn’t get a chance.”

“It’’s good”, Michael said. “I’m making a lot of progress. Onwards and upwards”

“Cool”, Carly said.

Michael had moved his stool closer to Carly’s, and she was leaning towards him, running her hand up and down his thigh. Michael wrapped his arm around her waist. “Where are you from?”, he asked.

“Iowa”, Carly said. “But I moved to New York after high school. I have a lot of friends who live there, and my agent lives there too. You?”

“Baltimore”, Michael said. “Born and raised.”

Carly nodded. “That’s cool”, she said. “Do you want to have another drink?”   
Michael hesitated. “I have to be up early to warm up”, he said. “But okay. Sure. Why not?”

“Yay!”, Carly exclaimed.

Another drink turned into several more drinks. They each drank a lot, then ended up closing the bar, and making out on the couch in the lounge. 

“Do you want to go up to my room?”, Michael asked softly. 

Carly nodded. “Okay”, she said.

Michael took her by the hand and led her to the elevator. They rode up to his floor and he took her to his room. As soon as the door closed, Carly leaned against the door, and pulled Michael towards her. She kissed him again. Michael deepened the kiss, and Carly slid her hand down the back of Michael’s jeans. Michael had one hand pressed against the door, trying to steady himself, and one hand on Carly’s hip.

“Mike”, Carly whispered as she began to undo Michael’s jeans, and they fell to the ground. “I’m not wearing any underwear.”

Michael picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her dress was pulled all the way up around her stomach, and Michael’s pants were in a heap at his feet. He kissed her deeply, and they fucked against the door.

“Fuck”, Carly gasped. “That’s it. Oh god. Oh my god baby.”

Michael groaned as he thrusted again. “Baby, you feel so good”, he gasped.

“Fuck me harder”, Carly replied as they made their way to the bed and fucked again, this time harder. Michael felt like he was getting close. “Come for me baby”. And Michael did.

“Shit that was amazing”, he said.

Carly spent the night in his room, and he woke up with her in his arms. “Can we spend the day together?”, she asked.

Under normal circumstances, Michael would usually run away after the first night of intimacy. This time was different. Or so he thought. Sure, the sex had been great, but he had also really enjoyed talking with her beforehand. He was curious to see if there was something there.

“I have to swim, baby”, he said. “But maybe we could have dinner later?”

“Okay”, Carly agreed.

***

Michael swam well that day, although probably not as well as he could have. He was a bit preoccupied. 

After finals, Michael walked back to the hotel with Allison and Conor. Carly was waiting for Michael in the lobby.

“Hi baby!”, she exclaimed.

“Hi honey!” Michael said, as he leaned down to kiss her. He turned to Allison and Conor. “These are my best friends Allie and Conor”

“Hi”, everyone said. 

“Do you guys want to join us?”, Michael asked.

Conor and Allie both looked at each other and shrugged. “Okay”, they said.

So, the four of them went off to eat dinner together. It ended up being a really nice night. Carly and Allison seemed to get along really well. That made Michael happy, because he was beginning to like Carly. It was important to him that that his best friends were friendly with the girls he dated. That hadn’t always been the case. His friends were usually very judgmental about his girlfriends. If he and Carly did end up dating, he wanted her to get along with his friends.

***

When Carly and Michael were back in Michael’s hotel room, kissing on his bed, Carly stopped for a minute. “Mike, can I ask you a question?”, she asked.

Michael nodded. He brushed her hair out of her face and pushed her bra strap down and kissed her shoulder. “Of course”, he said.

“How long did you and Allie date for?”, she asked.

Michael was quiet for a moment. “Me and Allie?”, he asked. “Like… no. She’s amazing and she’s my best friend, but…no”

“She’s not your ex?”, Carly asked.

Michael shook his head. “She and I are really close”, he said. “But we’re not and have never been together.”

“Oh”, Carly said. “Okay. She’s really pretty. Have you ever…?”

“No!”, Michael exclaimed. “Baby, Allie is my absolute best friend, but there’s nothing between us. Like, I give her a lot of hugs and sometimes a quick peck on the cheek or whatever, but she’s like a sister to me. There’s nothing going on there.”

Carly nodded and seemed to relax. She ran her hands along Michael’s bare chest, and down to his hips. She ran her thumb under the waistband of his boxers. Michael reached behind her and rubbed his hand up and down her back and under her bra strap. He let his other hand wander along her side from her breast down to her hip. He unhooked her bra, and she let it fall between them before grabbing it and throwing it onto the pile of clothes on the floor.

Carly reached down and pulled off her underwear. Michael took off his boxers. He pulled her closer to him and leaned down to kiss her neck. She made a move to reach for him. 

 

***

Allison and Conor were sitting at the bar in the hotel lobby. They were still hungry even after eating dinner, so they stopped to get a snack and a few more drinks. Allison took a french fry off of the plate between them and popped it into her mouth. 

“So, Carly seems nice”, Allison said nonchalantly.

Conor snorted. “She’s a fame whore”, he said.

Allison shrugged. “I don’t know”, she said. “She doesn’t seem that bad. Mike seems to like her.”

“Mike has shitty taste in women”, Conor retorted.

“Some of them have been pretty bad”, Allison agreed. 

“Allison…”, Conor began.

“I just want him to be happy”, Allison said softly. “I really want that. He deserves it.”  
“Allie… Do you… you know… like him?”, Conor asked.

Allison looked down at the table. She took a long swig of her drink. “Yeah”, she said. “But it’s… whatever. I’m not good enough or pretty enough or skinny enough for him. He only dates starving models with their bones sticking out.”

“Allison, stop it”, Conor said. “You are… stunning. You’re gorgeous, and funny, and you have an amazing body. You’re kind. You care about people. You’re a good person. You’re really smart. Anyone who tells you differently is going to have to answer to me. Okay?”

Allison smiled. Then she laughed. She was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol. It was a combination of too much sun from being outside all day, hard work in the pool, too much alcohol, and all that chocolate in the dessert she had scarfed down at dinner. “Thanks, Conor”, she said. “You’re the best.”

Conor grinned. “I am, aren’t I?”, he said. Then he giggled. “Okay. I’m drunk now.”

Allison burst out laughing. “Wanna call it a night?”, she asked.

“Yeah”, Conor said. “Let’s head upstairs.”

Conor and Allison took the elevator up to the floor where the NBAC elite team was staying. Conor walked Allison to her room on the other side of the hall from where his and Mike’s room was. He gave her a quick hug. 

“Sorry about my meltdown”, Allison said, embarrassed.

Conor smiled. “It’s okay, Al”, he said. “You’re upset. It’s totally fine.”

Allison nodded. “Yeah”, she said. “I just wish…”

Conor nodded. “I know”, he said. “Hey, Al?”   
Allison was about to open her hotel room door, but she turned around again. “Yeah?”, she asked.

“Mike’s an idiot”, he said.

Allison smiled. “Thanks”, she said.

When Allison walked into the room, Lotte was still awake and sitting up in bed scrolling through her phone. “Hey Allie!”, she said with a smile. “How’s Mike’s new girlfriend?”

“She’s not his girlfriend”, Allison said. “They’re just hanging out. She’s pretty. She’s nice.”

“So she’s a whore?”, Lotte asked with a smirk.

Allison giggled. “He likes her”, she said. “I’m trying to be happy for him.”

***

“Carly”, Michael said softly, as he ran his fingertips up and down her arm. “Come back to Baltimore with me after this weekend.”

“Really?”, Carly asked. “You want me to?”

“I do”, he said. “I really like you and I want to spend more time together.”

“I like you too, Mikey”, she said.

Allison woke up the next morning and immediately regretted everything that had happened the night before. Her head was pounding. Her mouth felt dry. She was embarrassed about having a meltdown in front of Conor.

Conor and Michael were eating at a table by the breakfast buffet when Allison went downstairs. Michael looked up and saw her. “Schmitty!” he called as he waved to her. “Over here!”

Allison smiled weakly and went to join them. “Hey”, she said as she sat down.

“Are you going to get breakfast?”, Michael asked.

Allison shook her head. “I feel sick”, she said as she buried her face in her folded arms.

Michael reached over and gently touched her arm. “You okay?”, he asked gently.

Allison looked up. She forced herself to smile. “Yeah”, she said. “I’m good. I think I just overdid it a bit on dinner and drinks last night.”

Michael nodded. “I know what you mean”, he said. “I ate way too much. It was good though, huh?”

Allison nodded. “Yeah”, she said. “The restaurant was nice.”

“It was a lot of fun”, Michael said. “Carly liked meeting you guys.”

“So, are you guys like, a couple now?”, Conor asked, cutting a glance towards Allison.

Michael nodded. “Yeah”, he said. “She’s going to come back to Baltimore and stay with me for a bit.”

“A fourth roommate?”, Conor asked. “Goody.”

Michael glared at him. “Dude, if you don’t approve of who I invite to my own damn house, you can feel free to move out.”

Conor sighed. “You’re right”, he said. “I’m sorry.”

Michael nodded. “It’s okay”, he said.

“Where is she, anyway?”, Allison asked.

“Upstairs sleeping”, Michael said. “We’re going to meet up after prelims for lunch and some… other activities.”

“I feel sick”, Allison said as she stood up. “I’m going to go up to my room and take something, then get ready for prelims.”

“You okay?”, Michael asked. “Do you want me to walk up there with you?”

“Just forget it, Mike”, Allison said sadly. She was trying not to cry. She made it all the way to her room and closed the door before she began to sob.

“Is she okay?”, Michael asked as he watched her walk away.

Conor shrugged. “She had a lot to drink last night”, he said. “It’s probably just a hangover.”

“Allie”, Lotte said, as she approached her crying friend. “Are you okay?”

Allison shook her head. “Mike is bringing Carly back to Baltimore. I thought it was just one of his flings, but… he really seems to like her.”

“I’m so sorry, Allie”, Lotte said. “Maybe you should scratch your races today and get some rest.”

“No”, Allison said, shaking her head. “No way. I’m swimming. I’ll be fine.”

***

Allison had a rough day of racing. She left Santa Clara feeling discouraged. If Michael noticed, he didn’t say anything to her about it. Allison tried not to care.

She saw Michael at practices, but they weren’t spending much time together. Michael was busy with Carly. Allison tried to be happy for him.

Back at Michael’s house, he and Carly spent a lot of time cuddling on the couch. Conor and Jeff did their best not to roll their eyes at them. 

Jeff was in the kitchen one morning when Michael went downstairs to make breakfast. Michael was cooking an omelette, and added some bacon to it.

“Mmm… meat!”, Michael said happily, as the smell began to fill the kitchen.

Jeff laughed. “Your meat free diet not working?”, he asked.

Michael smiled. “I only gave up beef”, he said. “Pork is okay.”

Jeff looked him over. “You’ve lost a shit ton of weight, dude”, he said. 

Michael nodded. “A bit”, he said. “Carly is a vegan, so there’s no meat when we eat together, unless we go out, and I get whatever I want. Plus, I’ve been pushing myself really hard with training. I feel good.”

“A vegan, huh?”, Jeff asked.

Michael nodded. “Yup”, he said. “So I eat pretty healthy when I’m with her. She’s still asleep, so I want some bacon.”

Jeff laughed and took a piece from the hot skillet. “Good”, he said as he took a bite. “Okay. I’m taking off. I’ll see you in a few days.”

“Okay”, Michael said. “Safe flight.”

“Thanks, Man”, Jeff said.

Michael ate his breakfast and waited for Carly to wake up. When she finally came downstairs, she made herself a smoothie. She was wearing a tight, ribbed tank top that was rolled up under her breasts, and a tiny pair of denim shorts, sitting very low on her hips.

Michael placed his large hands on her tiny hips and pinched her hip bones.

“I can’t wait to come home later”, he said.

“Don’t leave”, Carly whined.

“Baby, I have to”, Michael said. “I won’t be long, I promise.”

Michael went to the pool and tried to concentrate. He was having trouble because he couldn’t get the image of Carly’s low rise shorts out of his head.

“You okay, Mike?”, Allison asked him. “You seem distracted.”

Michael nodded. “I’m fine”, he said. “Just thinking.”

“Okay”, Allison said sadly. “Just asking.”

“Are you okay?”, Michael asked. “You seem sad.”

“I’m fine”, Allison said. “Just tired.”

“Okay”, Michael said. “See you tomorrow.”

When Michael got home, Carly was standing at the top of the stairs wearing a tiny bikini. “The sun is still out”, she said. “Do you want to go up to the roof to tan?”

Michael nodded. He dropped his workout bag and went up to the roof with Carly, tearing off his clothes along the way.

Michael climbed onto the lounge chair and Carly sat in the space between his legs and leaned up against him. She rested her hands on his knees and pinched at his skin. Michael sighed blissfully as he wrapped an arm protectively around her waist.

They stayed like that for a long time, laying there long enough to watch the sun go down.

“This is nice”, Carly said.

“Yeah”, Michael said. “I love spending time up here. The roof was one of the big reasons why I bought the house.”

Carly laughed. “Good reason”, she said. “Do you want to come to New York with me for a few days before your competition?”

“Okay”, Michael said. “That would be great.”

“Cool”, Carly said. “We can party and go clubbing and you can meet my friends!”

Michael rubbed his thumb on her stomach. “All of that source great to me, baby”, he said.

 

***

Later that night, Michael and Carly were laying in bed. Michael looked over at the beautiful girl next to him. He really liked Carly but couldn’t stop thinking about Allison. He wasn’t in love with her. He kept trying to convince himself of that, but he couldn’t stop comparing Carly to her.

Allison loved to laugh and make jokes. Carly tended to roll her eyes at that sort of thing. Allison was… well, she was everything that Carly wasn’t.

Michael gently ran his fingers along Carly’s bare skin. He tried to ignore the fact that her tan didn’t look natural and that her bones stuck out a little too much. He pinched at her soft skin and nibbled on her collar bone. “You’re so beautiful, baby”, he said quietly.

“I need to lose weight”, Carly said. “My agent said.”

Michael sat up. “Are you fucking kidding me?”, he exclaimed. “Baby, you’re so skinny!”

Carly shrugged. “Not enough to be a Victoria’s Secret model”, she said.

“Is that what you want?”, Michael asked.

Carly nodded. She absentmindedly rubbed Michael’s tattoo on his hip. “Someday”, she said.

Michael kissed her. “Well, I think you’re beautiful”, he said. “You’re perfect exactly the way you are.”

 

***

Michael spent the next few days showing Carly around Baltimore. They took Herman and Stella for walks. They went for a run around the harbor every night. They cooked together, and Carly tried to introduce Michael to some of her vegan meals. He ate them to be polite, but really just wanted a big piece of chicken.

A week before Nationals, Michael went to New York with Carly and met her friends. Her miniature dachshund, Lila, immediately took a liking to him.

“She’s cute”, Michael said, as he petted the little dog.

Carly smiled “She’s a rescue”, she said. “I adopted her from a shelter last year.”

Michael leaned over and kissed her. “A beautiful girl who rescues dogs?”, he said. “That’s the dream!”

Michael and Carly had a great week together. They went for long walks, they danced at clubs, they partied with her friends. Michael was on top of the world, and really beginning to fall for her.

On Michael’s last night in New York, they stayed out at a club all night. They drank until sunrise, then went back to Carly’s apartment to get a little bit of sleep before Michael had to go to the airport. They got undressed, and crawled into bed.

As they fucked on last time before Michael had to leave, he came three times in a row, and they shot the bolts out of her bed. “Shit, baby”, he said. “You’re amazing.”

They got some sleep after that, then Michael got up to shower and finish packing before going to the airport.

He went back to Baltimore to prepare for Nationals, and promised Carly that they would get together when the competition was over. He warned her that depending on how Nationals went, he might be going to Pan Pacs too. If that was the case, they would get together as soon as he got home from Australia.

 

***

Michael and Allison both struggled a bit at Nationals. Michael did well enough to qualify for Pan Pacs, but Allison didn’t She was upset, and Michael tried to comfort her.

“It’s okay, Allie”, he said softly, as he rubbed her back. “I know it sucks. I know you’re upset. I wish you were coming with us.”

Allison nodded. “I’ll miss you while you’re in Australia”, she said. “But, good luck. You’re going to be great.”

Michael smiled. “Thanks, hon”, he said, as he wrapped his arms around her for another hug.

Allison returned the hug and rubbed his back. “Shit, Mike”, she said as she ran her hands up and down his spine.

“What?”, Michael asked.

“You’re so skinny!”, she exclaimed.

“I finally got back down to my London weight”, he said. “Carly likes to run and she eats super healthy, so that helped me lose the last few pounds.”

“You look good”, Allison said.

“Thanks”, Michael said. “Carly is a vegan, so I didn’t have any meat when I was with her, and I gave up red meat, so I’ve been eating a lot of chicken and fish on my own, and occasionally pork.”

“Wow”, Allison said.

 

***

 

Michael went to Pan Pacs and had a great time. He swam well, and enjoyed spending time with his teammates. He knew that coming back had been a great choice.

He had lost so much weight that he had trouble keeping his pants up. There were a lot of pictures of him on the medal stand with his sweatpants slipping down. His family and friends teased him about thtat.

He got a text from Jeff. **Jeff [4:30 PM]:** Pull up your pants Skinny.

Michael laughed. Jeff’s nickname for him had been “Skinny” for as long as they had been friends. He always called him that, even when Michael was insecure about the weight he had gained after London, and didn’t think the nickname fit anymore.

Allison also texted him. **Allison [5:00 PM]:** OMG mp. buy smaller pants. kidding. u look great. love u.

***

When Michael arrived home in Baltimore, he texted Carly. **Michael [8:45 AM]:** Made it home! Come visit anytime. Miss you baby!

 **Carly [9:23 AM]:** OK! Next weekend?

Michael couldn’t stop talking about Carly’s visit. His mother and sisters were excited about the possibility of meeting her. Michael wasn’t sure if he was ready to introduce her to the family yet. Conor and Jeff hadn’t quite warmed up to her, but they tried to be happy for their friend. Allison hadn’t said much of anything, which made Michael nervous. Bob kept shaking his head, insisting that Michael own up to his feelings for Allison, an idea that Michael tried to laugh off.

Michael had noticed that Allison seemed really sad ever since Santa Clara. They hadn’t spent much time together lately, and Michael missed her. He promised himself that he would set aside some time for her after Carly’s visit. 

He really liked Carly and was excited about her visit. Despite his excitement, he couldn’t shake the feeling in the pit of his stomach that something was about to go horribly wrong. It turned out that his gut feeling was right, but he’d have to learn that the hard way.

 

 

 


End file.
